THE
CityREVIEW NewRochelle April 15 & 22, 2016 | Vol. 4, Number 8 | www.cityreviewnr.com
Change in graduation robes sparks controversy
Yet another deal
By SARAH VARNEY Education Reporter
A revised agreement to hand over the operations of Rye Playland to Standard Amusements is set to slash $26 million in proposed county-funded projects, if approved. For story, see page 8. File photo
3 red light cameras in use citywide, more to come By SIBYLLA CHIPAZIWA Editorial Assistant New Rochelle has now joined the cities of Mount Vernon and Yonkers in using cameras to cut down on red light violations. The red light cameras will be placed at various intersections. Up to four cameras have been installed as of January, and three cameras will begin functioning on Wednesday, April 13, after press time, meaning that violators will be ticketed. New Rochelle police Capt. Adrian Navarrete of the Police Services Division, which con-
sists of the department’s Traffic Unit, told the Review that the three, four-way intersections where red light cameras will be operating starting this week are Main Street and North Avenue, North and Lincoln avenues and Main Street and Weyman Avenue. Other intersections that are being considered for additional red light cameras include Main Street and Kings Highway, and North Avenue and Huguenot Street, the site of a fatal car accident in 2011. The remaining eight cameras will be installed and operational at a later date. Gary Torigian, a former 44-
year resident of New Rochelle and owner of Spectators on North Avenue, said that many cities are beginning to use red light cameras as part of traffic enforcement, adding that the cities believe it’s going to make roads safer. He said he did not know the cameras in New Rochelle existed. “Older people driving can be startled by [the cameras],” he said. “I actually got flashed in Mount Vernon for running a red light; I was distracted when I went through it. [The cameras] are a moneymaker, that’s what it is. They’ll tell you it’s about
safety, but it’s not. Cities are looking for money any way they can get it.” Brekford Corp., a public safety solutions company based in Hanover, Maryland, has been responsible for installing the traffic cameras. The city agreed to a three-year contract with the company in February 2015, with an option for renewal, at no cost to the city. The city will capture 65 percent of the revenue generated, with the contractor taking the remaining 35 percent, according cameras continued on page 7
In an attempt to be inclusive to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students, some schools in Westchester County, including New Rochelle High School, are moving away from assigning seniors gender-specific graduation robes. Public high schools in Tuckahoe and Mamaroneck currently wear black gowns for all graduating seniors. Public high schools in Eastchester, Rye and Harrison still require their male students to wear colored gowns while the women wear white. In the case of Bronxville, male students wear white tuxedo jackets and black pants while the female students wear white dresses. At the Feb. 23 meeting of the New Rochelle school district’s Board of Education, high school Principal Reginald Richardson appeared with three students to ask that board members approve the senior class’ decision to move away from graduates wearing the traditional genderspecific purple and white robes in exchange for solid purple garb for all. District Superintendent Dr. Brian Osborne pointed out that the decision rested with the high school and its students and that the board had no standing to rule on the change. According to Richardson and the students, the traditional assignment of white robes for girls and purple for boys was making some students uncomfortable.
In a letter sent home to parents of graduating seniors, Richardson explained that the adoption of a single color cap and gown would provide a more comfortable experience for some students. He said the change would “create an atmosphere that allows all of our students to enjoy the capstone event of their high school career equally, without the anxiety or fear that genderspecific colors might cause.” This June, students will be able to choose which color gown to wear, and all gowns will be solid purple when the class of 2017 crosses the stage. But this is not a change all are in favor of. During the Board of Education meeting held on Tuesday, April 5, more than a dozen New Rochelle High School graduates ranging in age from 18 to 80 stepped up to the podium one by one to passionately denounce the change. While some parents simply objected to New Rochelle High School ending a long-standing tradition in making the switch to all-purple graduation robes, other parents were unhappy with the motivation behind the change being made. “A man is a man and a woman is a woman,” Mark McLean, a New Rochelle High School alum, pronounced at the end of his remarks. New Rochelle resident Pearl Quarles spoke out against the change in defense of the purple robes continued on page 8
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2 • The city review • April 15 & 22, 2016
April 15 & 22, 2016 • The city review • 3
Nonprofits feeling effects of county budget cuts By JAMES PERO Staff Writer Months after the passage of the 2016 Westchester County budget that solidified significant cuts to nonprofit organizations across the county, some organizations—including those that provide crucial public services—are already feeling the pinch. According to Laura Schwartz, the executive director of April’s Child, an organization that provides social services to abuseprone children and families across the county, her organization has been among the hardest hit. “We’re feeling the pain right now,” she said. “We’ve lost a lot of money.” Schwartz said that the recent cuts to her organization have been the largest slash in governmental funding she’s seen in her 23-year tenure at April’s Child, headquartered in White Plains. The entirety of a previous $204,000 social services contract between April’s Child and the county, she explained, has completely disappeared.
The results have been substantial reductions in both the organization’s full-time staff and the breadth of services it’s able to provide to county residents, she said. According to Schwartz, since the cuts were made, April’s Child has been forced to lay off three of its four full-time staff members. And now, with the executive director being the only full-time staffer, the organization employs three part-time staffers in their place. “The impact, financially to the agency, was mitigated by three people losing their jobs,” Schwartz added. “But you’re putting three people on unemployment who maybe can’t afford their rent.” More importantly, Schwartz said, some of the families that her organization services can no longer receive help as a result of the county’s budget sequestration; even despite restoration of 75 percent of the proposed cuts during last-minute budget deliberations. Since January, April’s Child has been forced to reduce the
number of people in its care by about 90 adults and 170 children, Schwartz said, marking an approximately 50 percent decrease in the overall number of clients it serves. But April’s Child hasn’t been the only organization feeling an impact. According to Joanna Straub, the executive director of Nonprofit Westchester, a coalition of nonprofits across Westchester County, others have borne similar burdens. “I touched base with a couple of the organizations that were affected by the cuts,” Straub told the Review. “All are still in operation, but those who suffered the most serious cuts have completely closed the affected programs, laid off staff and reduced staff hours.” And while the effect on employees in the nonprofit sector has been great, according to Straub, the larger effects on communities lacking services in Westchester are of an even greater concern. Straub said the cuts will eventually have two long-term ef-
When drastic cuts were first proposed during the county’s 2016 budget cycle, nonprofits from across the county banded together in order to bring awareness to the issue. The result was a restoration of about 75 percent of the proposed cuts, but the loss in funding is still wreaking havoc on the organizations. Photo courtesy Nonprofit Westchester
fects; one being the diminishing financial stability of nonprofits, and the other, she explained, is a bigger burden on the county who will have to provide those services at a higher cost. According to Schwartz, while it only costs April’s Child $1,400 to keep a child out of foster care, once the same child enters the system—an occurrence which Schwartz fears will happen much more frequently without their services—the child
costs the county approximately $110,000 per year. As for filling the funding gap now that April’s Child has lost their contract, Schwartz said that her organization will be more reliant than ever on fundraising for their operating budget. “The difficulty is that [now], my primary goal is to serve the families,” she said. “It doesn’t allow me to focus on the things that I need to do like fundraising; the things I need to do to keep
the agency running.” Government funding or not, Schwartz said that her organization has no choice but to continue trying their best to provide the services that their community needs. “We’re mission-driven,” said Schwartz, adding that the organization has been around for 34 years. “We’re not going to stop now.” CONTACT: james@hometwn.com
4 • The city review • April 15 & 22, 2016
What’s going on... New Rochelle Public Library
Visit nrpl.org for information on events and programs at the library’s two locations.
Summer ESL classes registration On Saturday, April 16 from 10 a.m. to noon in the main library’s Meeting Room on the first floor. At this registration session, each applicant will be interviewed and assessed to determine the most appropriate level for placement into one of three different beginner-level ESL classes offered by Westchester Community College English Language Institute at the New Rochelle Public Library. There is a required $20 payment in the form of a check or money order at the time of signup. No cash payments will be accepted. For more information, please contact WCC at 606-5656.
Mini book sales On Saturdays, April 16, 23 and 30, Tuesdays, April 19 and 26, and Thursdays, April 21 and 28 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the main library’s Friends Bookstore lobby. The Friends of the New Rochelle Public Library Mini Book Sales are where you will find bargains from popular novels, mysteries and nonfiction in hardcover and paperback to children’s books, CDs and DVDs. Proceeds from these sales allow the Friends to provide funding for quality children and adult programming, as well as assisting the library by contributing to various projects and improving service to the community.
Masterworks concert On Sunday, April 17 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Ossie Davis Theater. Pianist Matthew Harrison and Vlada Yaneva return for another dazzling “Masterworks Conversation” concert, performing beloved music enhanced by a lively narrative. Just as explorers forged ahead into new territory, American music pushes the boundaries of musical possibility to new frontiers. Join the musicians for a musical melting pot that journeys from New York to New Orleans, with masterpieces from the giants of jazz to the American classics, and a grand finale that brings both worlds together in Gershwin’s stunning “Rhapsody in Blue.” Suggested donation: $2. Made possible by the Friends of the New Rochelle Public Library.
Lunchtime Yoga Express On Mondays, April 18 and 25 from 12:15 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. and Wednesdays, April 20 and 27 from 1:15 p.m. to 2 p.m. in the main library’s Ossie Davis Theater or Meeting Room. Guided by yoga instructor Nora LeMorin, these midday sessions designed to help relax and strengthen involve traditional and adapted poses that are practiced either standing or seated in chairs—no mats needed. Space is limited; first come, first served. This program is made possible by the Friends of the New Rochelle Public Library. Donations are gratefully accepted.
Foreclosure and credit counseling On Thursday, April 21 from1 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the main library’s second floor Conference Room. Trained counselors with Westchester Residential Opportunities, WRO, offer free assistance on loan modification, forbearance agreements, reverse mortgage housing counseling, mortgage default and delinquency counseling, and credit counseling. WRO, founded in 1968, is a nonprofit, HUCcertified housing counseling agency whose mission is to promote equal, affordable and accessible housing throughout our region. This is a drop-in program.
Senior benefits information center On Fridays, April 22 and 29 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the main library’s second floor Conference Room. Trained volunteers help senior citizens find out which benefits they may be entitled to receive, including Medicare health and prescription, food stamps, HEAP, EPIC, weatherization, minor home repair, tax relief programs and many more.
Meet animals from the Humane Society On Monday, April 25 from 10:35 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. in the Ossie Davis Theater. Meet some of the precious animals being cared for at the Humane Society of Westchester (formerly New Rochelle Humane Society), and learn about the great work of this important organization.
Senior legal assistance
has written for the general public. A book signing will follow the lecture, which is free.
Summer programs at Ward Elementary The College of New Rochelle Graduate School provides summer programs at William B. Ward Elementary School in New Rochelle for children ages 3 to 10. The program runs from June 30 through July 29, Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Young Explorers, for children ages 3 to 5, will participate in group activities involving small group instruction for literacy and early number sense, music and movement, dramatic play, creative arts and block building. Children ages 6 to 8 in the Explorers program will engage in group activities including social studies, STEM programs, literacy and math, nature, dramatic play, outdoor play and movement. The oldest campers, ages 8 to 10, will be part of the Discovery program which features hands-on STEM projects in LEGO robotics and 3-D printing, literacy and mathematics enrichment, social studies and science, outdoor experiences, creative arts, and music and movement. The 3-D printers are funded by New Matter’s Educate and Inspire Grant. Mentor teachers and CNR graduate students work collaboratively, creating developmentally appropriate curriculum based on the goals of the Common Core for each classroom. Designed to be engaging and enriching, the curriculum’s themes connect the learning across subject areas. Small group and individualized instruction is integrated into the daily program in order to insure the progress of each child. The camp is located at the Ward Elementary School in New Rochelle. Tuition is $1,250, with limited scholarships available. For further information regarding this opportunity, contact Dr. Candace Barriteau Phaire at csp@cnr.edu.
On Tuesday, April 26 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the main library’s lobby. Attorneys from the Pace Women’s Justice Center will offer free information and assistance to seniors on issues such as staying safe, avoiding financial scams, avoiding harassment and abuse, filling out health care proxies and other legal matters. In addition, information and assistance on domestic violence and family matters will also be provided. The Pace Women’s JusSummer programs and camps tice Center is one of the largest legal services proMiddle School Drop-In Program viders in Westchester County, specializing in domestic violence and elder abuse, and serving more The Middle School Drop-In Program offers than 2,500 clients each year. Bilingual assistance a variety of activities for youth in grades five is available. This is a drop-in program. through seven, completed as of June 2016. It runs from June 27 to Aug. 5 (no program on July 4) The College of New Rochelle from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The program takes place at both Isaac E. Young and Albert Leonard middle schools. Activities include, but are not limited to: arts and crafts, sports (tennis, basketball, volleyball and soccer) and board games. A peanut-free lunch is also included. This year, due to cutbacks, there is a $60 supply fee in order to register. Applications are available 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday in ‘Growing in Grief’ lecture Those coping with loss and those who counsel the bereaved will have the opportunity to gain valuable insight during a lecture at The College of New Rochelle by Dr. Kenneth Doka, professor of gerontology at The College of New Rochelle and a pre-eminent expert on grief. The lecture, “Growing in Grief,” being held in conjunction with the publication of Doka’s 35th book, “Grief is a Journey: Finding Your Path Through Loss,” will be held on Tuesday, April 19 at 7 p.m. in the Maura Ballroom. Doka is the author of numerous academic books on grief and a frequent contributor to national news media, but this is the first book he
the Youth Bureau Office, 515 North Ave. in New Rochelle, and online at newrochelleny.com/youth. For more information, contact the Youth Bureau at 654-2045.
Summer day and preschool camps Registration continues for the city of New Rochelle Department of Parks and Recreation Summer Day Camps and Preschool Camp. All run from July 5 to Aug. 12. The Summer Day Camps will be held at William B. Ward and Jefferson elementary schools. For graduating kindergarteners through fifth grade, these camps features sports, games, performing arts, nature, tennis, weekly swimming and themed activities as well as day trips. The cost for Ward school camp is $600, $650 after May 20, for the six-week session, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Early drop-off and day trips are offered at an additional charge. The cost for Jefferson school camp is $580, $630 after May 20. Three-day trips will be included. Camp hours are 9:30 am to 3:30 pm. The Preschool Camp will be held at Webster school. For children ages 3 to 5 (campers must be 3 years old by July 2, 2016), this camp features social learning through arts and crafts, music, movement skills, language, literature, indoor and outdoor play, and weekly themed special activities. Cost is $800 for the six-week session, $850 after May 20. Camp hours are 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Application deadline is May 20, or until all spots are filled. For further information or to register, call the Department of Parks and Recreation at 654-2087. To download a brochure and forms, visit newrochelleny.com/programs.
Humane Society of Westchester Pet first aid discussion On Sunday, April 24 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., Dr. Paul Amerling from Miller-Clark Animal Hospital, located in Mamaroneck, will be leading a discussion about first aid for your pet. This program is for two-legged friends only; please leave your pet at home. The Humane Society of Westchester is located at 70 Portman Road in New Rochelle. For more information, visit humanesocietyofwestchester.org or call 632-2925. For more information on MillerClark Animal Hospital, visit millerclark.com. Deadline for our What’s Going On section is every Thursday at noon. Though space is not guaranteed, we will do our best to accommodate your listing. Please send all items to news@hometwn.com.
New to the Review
Corey Stockton has joined the Review as its latest staff writer. Stockton is a graduate of the University at Albany, where received a B.A. in English in 2013. As a freelance reporter, he produced articles for the Albany Times Union. After living
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in Albany for six years, he returned to his hometown of Yorktown, New York, where he currently lives. Stockton spends his free time practicing, teaching and blogging about Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He can be reached at 653-1000 ext. 16, or by email at corey@hometwn.com.
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April 15 & 22, 2016 • The city review • 5
Letters to the Editor
Public input on New Rochelle’s downtown plan ignored To the Editor, While New Rochelle residents may understand the reason for a new comprehensive plan, they cannot understand why the public input is ignored. In a recent article published in the Journal News, why was it evident that the resident comments at the last comprehensive plan meeting not been addressed in the plan? Why are the high costs of city services and added number of student enrollments from high rise apartment buildings been glossed over in this new plan? Why have resident comments at the previous comprehensive plan meeting been ignored in the revised plan? In this article, Jim Killoran, CEO of Westchester Habitat for Humanity, is quoted as saying, “The pace of development is too fast.” Further, he added, “There is no real public outreach. The people and businesses don’t know what is going on. Development shouldn’t be coming from the top down.” Recent public hearings on the rezoning for downtown did not create any changes in this zoning proposal. For example, when the apartments for the Loew’s building are constructed, where will the developer plan the entrances and exits to the parking lots on the two streets it faces (Main and Huguenot), which are listed for being changed to two-way streets in this comprehensive report? How do cars enter the parking lot from a two-way street? Does the city of New Rochelle, and its employees, think its citizens are being duped by phony hearings and meetings which apparently have no effect on City Council members’ decisions? Yes, “agendas are being ramrodded” and the Queen City of the Sound will suffer greatly from all these ill-conceived actions. Joseph De Rosa, New Rochelle
City Review to roll out new website THE
CityREVIEW NewRochelle The cityreviewnr.com is under construction By CHRISTIAN FALCONE Editor-in-Chief If you haven’t already noticed, the website for The City Review New Rochelle has been dormant for some time now. No, we haven’t given up on the web. Rather, it’s because the site is currently under construction and a new one is being created to provide viewers with an enhanced digital
version of our New Rochelle newspaper. This new website has been in the works for more than a month and is set to launch shortly, under the same domain name. The new cityreviewnr.com promises to offer a fresh look, improved functionality, an array of features and a uniqueness that has long been missing from our online presence. Speaking on behalf of the
company, we’re excited to put the old, archaic site to bed in favor of launching something visually appealing and worthy of complementing our traditional print product. And on a personal note, my hope and goal is to create a website that becomes more visible, timely and slowly forms its own distinct identity. All you have to do is stay tuned. I think, this time, we got it right.
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6 • The city review • April 15 & 22, 2016 THE
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New LGBTfriendly bar lights up Westchester
By SUZY BERKOWITZ Editorial Assistant Among the various bars and restaurants that line Mamaroneck Avenue in downtown White Plains, one stands out from the crowd: Ignite Bar and Bistro. Open since November 2015, Ignite is one of Westchester County’s first LGBT-friendly dining establishments—welcome to all, but built to serve as a safe haven for those who identify as part of the LGBT community. “Ignite adds a bit of color and culture to the community, and it’s something completely different from anything else around here,” Ignite owner, Kevin Burke, said. “In Manhattan, there’s a gay bar on every street. As people become more progressive, they realize that this is something they want in their neighborhood.” Burke, 33, who has vast experience hosting parties in the downtown White Plains area, said that after producing events in various venues for several years, he was looking for a spot to call his own, and after scoping out a space, he decided to make his goal of opening an LGBT-friendly bar with a New York City vibe in the Westchester area a reality. Although owing a bar and restaurant comes with a lot of responsibilities, Burke, of Yonkers, said everything is coming together fairly quickly, and he hopes his business will give him a chance to become more involved in the community. One such community member that Ignite has already positively impacted is Judy Troilo, executive director of The LOFT: LGBT Community Cen-
Ignite is open seven days a week and is known for its Tuesday night karaoke and Sunday brunch featuring neighborhood drag queens. Photos/Suzy Berkowitz
Owner Kevin Burke said he wanted to give Westchester County a glimpse into New York City’s bar scene with Ignite’s bar and lounge atmosphere.
ter. Based in downtown White Plains, The LOFT provides legal, medical and psychological support to LGBT individuals within Westchester County and the lower Hudson Valley area. “The LOFT supports any organization that serves or provides a space for the LGBT community,” Troilo said. “Ignite is a beautiful, charming place, and we will most certainly help to promote Kevin’s vision.” Troilo said that it is important for members of the LGBT community to have access to a place like Ignite because it is a venue where people feel safe to be themselves. Troilo said the fact that Ignite is both a restaurant and a bar is also important because it accommodates peo-
ple who want to have a night out in any capacity. She said she is excited to collaborate with Ignite to host events in the future. “We’ve come a long way, but we’ve still got a long way to go,” she said. “Everybody’s welcome there, and that’s important to know. If you embrace us, we’ll embrace you.” Although Valhalla’s The B Lounge was the first full-service gay bar to open in Westchester in 2011, Troilo said Ignite is different from any other location in the county. Burke said he could see his location quickly becoming a neighborhood favorite. Besides serving as a regular restaurant and bar seven nights a week, Ignite, which is known
for its extensive wine list, also uses its space to host Sunday brunch with a drag show and Tuesday night karaoke. Although Burke has received an outpouring of positive feedback since Ignite has opened, he has also been hit with some online negativity as well. He said those who are against having this kind of establishment in their community weed themselves out from becoming involved in it, and that
although it’s unfortunate that not everyone can enjoy, understand or agree with Ignite’s culture, there are plenty of other bars in the area. “I look beyond the negative reviews because there’s so much more to do,” Burke said. “Every time I step back for a second and observe the interactions and the smiles and the laughter, it makes my heart swell.” CONACT: suzy@hometwn.com
Ignite Bar and Bistro opened in November 2015 and serves as one of Westchester County’s first LGBT-friendly dining and drinking locations. Photo/Andrew Dapolite
April 15 & 22, 2016 • The city review • 7
Westchester Verizon workers start strike
cameras from page 1
to Kathy Gilwit, the city’s communications and marketing manager. Mount Vernon was able to generate an estimated $1 million in revenue from red light violations in 2015, according to city figures. The city of Yonkers has benefited from $14 million in red light camera revenue since installing them in 2011. Lt. William Schulman, who supervises the Police Department’s Traffic Unit, said that currently there is no way of knowing how much New Rochelle is going to make from the cameras. In January, the New Rochelle City Council unanimously passed a local law to have red light cameras at no more than 12 intersections citywide. The law imposes a $50 fine for each red light violation—a civil penalty—on the owner of a vehicle, provided that the offender has the permission from the owner to operate their vehicle. The owner could also be fined an additional $25 for each failure to respond to a notice of liability from City Court within a certain time period. The 24/7 traffic control system will work together with the traffic control signal, which will produce two or more images to be inspected. Only the
The city of New Rochelle has started using traffic cameras this week in an attempt to cut down on red light violations. These cameras are on the intersection of Main Street and North Avenue. Photo/Andrew Dapolite
vehicle’s license plate will be photographed. A study was piloted in April 2013 after members of the city Citizens Budget Committee asked City Council to look into installing traffic enforcement cameras for road safety. Chris Scott, of New Rochelle, was also unaware that the city had implemented red light cameras. He agreed with Torigian that the cameras are just another source of revenue. “It’s a pain in the butt ‘cause it’s a Catch-22—obviously, you don’t want to go through red lights,” Scott said. “Sometimes you’re going through a yellow light, and you happen to catch the end of it. I guess I understand it, but I think it’s more [of] a moneymaker.” In 2013, Redflex Traffic Systems Inc., based in Arizona, tested red light cameras at four
intersections near downtown New Rochelle known for their high numbers of traffic light violations and accidents, based on Police Department recommendations. After a 48-hour trial period, the study recorded more than 100 traffic violations, including running red lights and illegally turning on red. According to Navarrete, how the police will go about using the cameras is still an evolving process. Sgt. Myron Joseph of the police Traffic Unit will be the one responsible for looking at accident data to make recommendations, if necessary, before moving forward, Navarrete said. City Manager Charles Strome and city Traffic Engineer Michael Briska could not be reached for comment as of press time.
President of the Communications Workers of America Kevin Sheil addresses Verizon employees on Wednesday, April 13, in White Plains.
As the sun rose on the morning of Wednesday, April 13, approximately 600 Westchester County Verizon workers began to strike. Members of the the Communications Workers of America, CWA, took to Main Street in downtown White Plains to publicly protest their displeasure with the lack of a new labor contract. Every worker from the county was expected in attendance.
Negotiations with Verizon began in June 2015, and the union workers’ contract expired on Aug. 1 of that same year. After negotiating for 10 months, nearly 40,000 workers from Massachusetts to Virginia were expected to strike in unison. According to union representatives, the work stoppage was also expected to be largest in the country in recent years.
“We’re standing up for working families and standing up to Verizon’s corporate greed,” said Dennis Trainor, CWA District 1 vice president. “If a hugely profitable corporation like Verizon can destroy the good family supporting jobs of highly skilled workers, then no worker in America will be safe from this corporate race to the bottom.” -Reporting by Christian Falcone
CONTACT: sibylla@hometwn.com
North Avenue & Lincoln Avenue
Several hundred Verizon workers display their frustration over the lack of a new union contract. Photos/Bobby Begun North Avenue & Main Street
Main Street & Weyman Avenue
The map shows the three intersections where the red light cameras will be in use. The intersections—Main Street and North Avenue, North and Lincoln avenues and Main Street and Weyman Avenue—had their cameras begin recording violators this week. Photo courtesy maps.google.com
Verizon workers on strike carry signs that say “Build Up FiOS, Not Executive Pay.”
8 • The city review • April 15 & 22, 2016
County to cover $32M in new Playland deal
robes from page 1
A newly revised agreement meant to transfer control of Rye Playland to the management company Standard Amusements slashes $26 million in costly projects to a number of the park’s ailing structures. The discounted deal, however, continues to draw flak from county legislators and residents alike. File photo
By JAMES PERO Staff Writer Despite a $26 million slash to proposed county-funded capital projects, a new revised agreement forking over operations of Rye Playland to the management company Standard Amusements is still warranting concerns. The new agreement, which was announced on Friday, April 8, calls for $32 million in capital renovations to the park; a cost to be footed by the county. This new total marks a significant departure from the previously proposed $58 million total. According to Westchester County Legislator Catherine Parker, a Rye Democrat, the new agreement still puts a huge burden on county taxpayers. “The annual debt service for that $32 million worth of capital will cost the taxpayers $2.6 million annually,” Parker said. “I find that very, very troubling.” With the terms of the new agreement, Parker said that Standard Amusements would also invest $5 million into the park before the start of the 2017 season and an additional $27 million after 50 percent of the county’s capital project money has been expended. Compared to the previous agreement, Standard’s matching $32 million investment would be an increase of $2 million over their previously planned investment. In February, Standard had already committed to increasing its investment from $25 million to $30 million. This latest agreement also proposes significant cuts to a number of costly projects previously agreed to, including multimillion dollar decreases to renovations for the park’s colonnades
and the park’s parking lot. “[The agreement] shows a joint commitment between the county and Standard Amusement to invest in the future of Playland,” said Ned McCormack, spokesman for County Executive Rob Astorino’s administration. “We are in the final stages of approving a contract that will save Playland.” Even so, Parker, whose legislative district covers the countyowned amusement park in Rye, said the agreement is failing to accomplish the objectives that a public-private partnership is meant to accomplish. “We entered into the idea of a public-private partnership to do two things: to reduce the burden on taxpayers [and] to revitalize the park,” she said, adding that the former is far from being accomplished. As evidenced by a recent petition on change.org decrying the efficacy of the recent deal, some residents around the county also share similar sentiments with Parker. The petition, which was launched on Thursday, April 7, has already surpassed 1,106 signatures, as of press time. Deidre Curran, the petition’s author, said that it was meant to underscore what she—and others in the surrounding communities—feel is a raw deal for taxpayers. “We’re going to pour money into this park and then hand all the money over to a private hedge fund,” Curran said. “It’s ludicrous.” Curran would rather opt to keep the park under county control and launch a large-scale fundraiser meant to gather the money necessary to provide critical renovations. “At this point, what we need
to do is develop a plan that involves bonding out the money and start fundraising for the park,” she said, adding that the park’s historic appeal would help. “If you set up a restoration fund drive and you marketed it, people would throw money at you.” Among the problems with current proposal, Curran said that profit sharing—or in her opinion, a lack thereof—was among some of the most concerning. “[Standard is] going to keep 90 percent of the profit,” she said. “I don’t know how Astorino can spin this as a good idea for taxpayers.” County Legislator Ken Jenkins, a Yonkers Democrat, who has been a vocal critic of the deal with Standard, echoed similar concerns over profit sharing. “The best agreement would be one that says, ‘If we’re going to be partners in this deal… then we should be getting more than 10 percent,’” he said. Currently, before the amended agreement goes before the county Board of Legislators for a vote, it will first go through a public hearing where residents can provide their input. Although the deadline for the legislative body to finalize its review of the plan and sign off on the agreement was recently extended to April 29, the administration said a vote is currently scheduled for May 2. But Parker said she’s doubtful that the vote will happen by the expected date due to scheduling conflicts amongst legislators. A public hearing on the amended agreement is expected to take place on Wednesday, April 20. CONTACT: james@hometwn.com
New Rochelle High School plans to move away from gender-specific graduation robe colors to be inclusive toward lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students. File photo
and white tradition. “I remember the sea of purple and white robes on graduation day,” she recalled. “It was a sight to see.” But Roland Rogers, president of the PTA Council, an organization that acts as a liaison between the individual school parent groups and the Board of Education, was surprised by the strident reactions of those opposed to the change. In this instance, Rogers was
speaking only on behalf of himself and his daughter Sophia, a junior who will wear purple at her 2017 graduation. “I was shaking my head,” Rogers said. “The point of a single color is to unify students, to demonstrate that all students that attain the same degree join their classmates on an equal footing on graduation day.” The cry to uphold a practice that might be a burden on a mi-
nority of students versus a majority advocating to maintain the tradition of the purple and white came as a surprise, he added. “I understand tradition, but traditions change. They evolve. The football team wears purple and white. The cheerleaders wear purple and white. There will still be plenty of purple and white to go around.” CONTACT: sarah@hometwn.com
What a wonderful girl Malee is! She is about a year old, around 38 pounds and loves all people and dogs alike. She’s very playful and loves to run and romp in the dog park. Although she is extremely energetic, she seems to chill when in the house. Malee is spayed, vaccinated, dewormed, heartworm-tested and microchipped. Why not donate $300 to Larchmont Pet Rescue and make Malee part of your home? To learn more, call 834-6955 or visit NY-PetRescue.org. (Submitted)
April 15 & 22, 2016 • The city review • 9
‘Man of La Mancha’ takes the WBT stage By MICHELLE JACOBY Contributor “Man Of La Mancha” was inspired by a 1615 masterpiece, “The Adventure of Don Quixote,” written by Miquel de Cervantes. Dale Wasserman originally wrote “Man Of La Mancha” as a non-musical teleplay when he decided to blend the two main characters together to create a play within a play. The combination of Wasserman and director Albert Marre turned it into a stage musical, eventually winning five Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The tax collector, Cervantes, played by Paul Schoeffler and his squire, Sancho Panza, played by Gary Marachek, are thrown into prison. The stage is set with a dark, descending staircase that leads into the evil dungeon of the prison with unruly characters awaiting their sentencing. The tone is set as the non-musical part of the production. When Sir Knight
Paul Schoeffler as Don Quixote and Michelle Dawson as Aldonza star in “Man of La Mancha.”
Cervantes arrives as a true believer in goodness and chivalry with his cherubic sidekick, the prisoners have a
true distain for them. The trial begins and Cervantes decides to take out his traveling trunk of costumes and tall tales, and the story
of Don Quixote, fighter of giants, with happy-go-lucky Sancho Panza, begins. Schoeffler very talentedly blends his two characters as a true professional—a nervous Cervantes on trial, and brave Don Quixote willing to take on anyone who insults his true love, Aldonza/ Dulcinea, played brilliantly by Michelle Dawson. Fighting her fate as a wench, she doesn’t know how to deal with Don Quixote. Strong-willed and powerful on stage, she holds her own with Anselmo, played by Alan Gillespie, and his Muleteers Joseph Torello, Jose’Antonio, Eric Briarley, Alan Gillespie, John Paul LaPorte, Diego Rios and Dougie Robbins. Powerful singing and acting keeps this classic tale alive. Songs of romance, including “What Does He Want of Me?” “Little Bird, Little Bird,” and the idealistic “The Impossible Dream,” continue to be showstoppers. Set and costume design by Michael Bottari and Ronald Case bring audience members back to the Spanish Inquisition days. The fight scenes, directed by fight director James
Gary Marachek as Sancho, left, Michelle Dawson as Aldonza and Paul Schoeffler as Don Quixote star in the musical set during the Spanish Inquisition. Photos by John Vecchiolla
The company of “Man Of La Mancha” during a musical number.
Jelkin, lead us into the jousting world and Don Quixote’s defeat. Sound design by Jonathan E. Hatton; techinical direction by Steve Loftus; production by Lisa Tiso; and lighting design by Andrew Gmoser. “Man Of La Mancha” is a true comedy in which the sanest characters can’t see the real truth of life, and only the lunatics are truly wise. Come and experience the unconventional tales of Don Quixote. This Bob Funking and Bill Stutler production of “Man Of La Mancha” is playing at the Westchester Broadway Theatre now through May 1. For further information, call 592-2222 or visit broadwaytheatre.com. Paul Schoeffler as Don Quixote, left, and Gary Marachek as Sancho in the Westchester Broadway Theatre’s production of “Man of La Mancha.”
10 • The city review • April 15 & 22, 2016
April 15 & 22, 2016 • The city review • 11
All school and no play makes Jack a dull boy Westchester Children’s Museum officially opens RHYMES WITH CRAZY Lenore Skenazy
In ancient times—say, the 1950s,‘60s, or ‘70s or maybe even the ‘80s—children were expected to waste a good deal of their time. They’d spend hours riding their bikes to nowhere, making up basketball moves, drawing with chalk or reading comic books. Their parents didn’t worry that this meant they were going to end up drug addicts, or at least at a second-tier college. In fact, parents were generally eager to shoo the kids out of the house. But that was before something began taking over all waking hours of the day: School. When we think about how different childhood is today— structured, supervised, stressful—we tend to blame helicopter parents, or the culture of fear that has made stepping outside without mom or dad into an activity mentally accompanied by scary organ music. After all, every parent’s worst nightmare could be just around the corner! But Peter Gray, the author of the basic psychology textbook used in colleges across the country (including Harvard), says that while “increased fears from the media” are partly to blame for this new, constricted childhood, there’s another force at play—or not at play, rather. “Part of it that we don’t give enough weight to is the increasing amount of influence of schooling.” Think about how school dominates the lives of kids today. When Gray, now a white-haired professor, was growing up, the school year was five weeks
shorter. I remember that, too— a three-month summer vacation. Bliss! No one was freaking out about kids forgetting the lessons they left behind in May. Summer was seen as a charger kids needed, not a drain. As for what happened during the school year itself, there was little to no homework in the lower grades, unless the kids had to do something like gathering leaves for a project. No nightly homework sheets or reading log, the bane of my existence as a mom. (Forcing your kids to read a certain amount each day turns out to be the perfect way to make them hate reading. Try it!) Gray, who was at Clemson University last week to give a talk at the Rebooting Play Conference, as was I, says that those logs are just one hint of how parents are now supposed to continue the school day at home. They are expected to review their kids’ homework and, often, to sign it. They’re also expected to volunteer at the school, as reading buddies or running the book sale. It’s as if, for the whole family, school has become the biggest force in their lives, inescapable from morning until night. Parents are told that this is how it has to be if they want their kids to succeed. Once parents are taught to be “school partners,” says Gray, “all of society develops the view that children grow best when carefully monitored and guided. And it used to be children grow themselves.” This is not to say that kids learn algebra by climbing trees. But they do learn how to gauge risk and handle fear. Playing a game of catch, even against a wall, they learn how to do something over and over to get it right.
(Think how much easier it is to learn that lesson on the playground than in the classroom.) Playing with friends, they learn how to control their impulses, share, throw it a little easier to the youngest kid—a trait also known as empathy—all the arts of being human. These activities don’t stunt intellectual development, they make young minds curious and creative. In an essay called “Be Glad of Our Failure to Catch Up with China in Education,” Gray compares our education system to China’s, where grammar school kids spend nearly 10 hours a day studying, and by high school they face a 12-and-a-half-hour school day. Kids are forced to endure this “for one and only one reason, to get a high score on the gaokao, the national examination that is the sole criterion for admitting students to college,” writes Gray. What happens to those highscoring winners? “A common term used in China now to refer to the general results of their educational system is gaofen dineng, which means, literally, high scores, but low ability. Because students spend nearly all of their time studying, they have little chance to do anything else,” like develop interests, physical stamina or social skills. That’s a “success” America would do well to avoid. To raise the kind of engaged and eager kids who grow into entrepreneurs and simply happy citizens, we need to stop school from seeping into every hour and activity of the day. Fooling around turns out to be the best schooling around. CONTACT: lskenazy@yahoo.com
The Westchester Children’s Museum officially opened on April 13. The space is now 6,500 square feet large, following the first phase of the museum’s construction plan to enable it to be open year-round. Contributed photo
The Westchester Children’s Museum, WCM, recently completed Phase I of its construction plan, which expanded the exhibit and program space from 4,000 square feet to 6,500 square feet. This expansion included additional exhibit and program space, new family restrooms and upgraded heating and ventilation systems that will enable the museum to stay open yearround and be a fully operational facility. Prior to this phase of construction, the museum offered a preview of its new exhibit space in its Boardwalk Galleries only during the spring and summer months of 2014 and 2015, receiving almost 18,000 visitors over those two summers. Now that the museum has been transformed into a fulltime, fully operational museum, it expects its annual visitation number to be approximately 30,000 this year and annual growth each year after, as exhibit space is expanded. The museum’s visitors have hailed from throughout the greater Westchester/Fairfield region as well families visiting from throughout the U.S., Canada and beyond. “The significance of this moment in the museum’s long trajectory cannot be understated,” said Tracy R. Kay, executive director of the Westchester Children’s Museum. “In order to get to this point, we must acknowledge the critical and longstanding support of our board of directors, our growing community of donors in the private, public and corporate sectors, the schools and community centers that recognize the need for the valuable out of school enrichment this museum provides, and our partner—the county of
Westchester. We look forward to further growing and serving the children and families of this region for generations to come.” The official WCM opening was April 13, a day after the museum will host its “Doors Open” celebration honoring longtime supporters Lisina Hoch and the Laager family. The WCM experience will now include: • KEVA Planks Construction and Design Zone • Build Your Own Roller Coaster in the Con Edison Energy Gallery • The Toddler Zone in the Curry Automotive Gallery • Take and Leave Library, sponsored by the Make a Difference with Loukoumi Foundation • Two Makerspaces exploring science, technology, engineering, art, design and mathematics • Wind Tunnel • Shadow and Light Play • Multipurpose Activity and Birthday Party Room • Four new family restrooms Hours of operation are 10 am to 4 pm on Wednesdays through Sundays. Admission costs $7 per person, $6 for seniors, and free for children under 1 year old, members, and households with active duty military personnel. Founded in 2003, the creation of the Westchester Children’s Museum has been a true grassroots initiative by individuals, businesses and public officials who came together with a goal of providing enriching educational experiences for children, particularly for those in underserved communities. They sought a site that would be accessible to the broadest range
of audiences by public transportation and major roadways, coupled with ample space for vibrant programming. The North Bathhouse at Rye Playland, out of use for more than 50 years, was identified as a site that met these requirements and offered an opportunity for architectural renewal and adaptive reuse in a location that lent itself to environmental awareness on the shores of the Long Island Sound. Eventually, the museum will occupy the building’s full 22,000 square feet. In addition to on-site exhibits and activities, museum educators provide interactive science, art and cultural programming to children across Westchester County through the Museum Without Walls educational outreach program. WCM now works with more than 50 community organizations and has administered nearly 300 programs per year since the program’s 2010 inception. WCM is in the midst of a $6.4 million capital campaign to complete construction and exhibit design and installation for the entire 22,000 square feet of the Bathhouses. The next phases in the museum’s development will include construction of a performance theater, water play exhibits, and a one-of-a-kind climbing structure that will wind its way through the length of the museum space and up into the clerestories above. The museum will continue to build out new exhibit and program space, as funds are available. For further information about the Westchester Children’s Museum and its education programs, visit discoverWCM.org. (Submitted)
12 • The city review • April 15 & 22, 2016
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SPORTS
April 15 & 22, 2016 • The city review • 13
Ready for the playoff push It’s the same reason that, in each successive round of the LIVE MIKE 2016 March Madness tournaMike Smith ment, I fully expected my Villanova Wildcats to come crashWith the New York Rangers ing back down to earth. I mean, gearing up for the first round of I didn’t truly think they had a the Stanley Cup Playoffs this chance to win a national title week, I have to say, I’m not real until I saw Daniel Ochefu cutconfident about the Blue Shirts’ ting down the net after a thrillchances. But this feeling proba- ing win over UNC in the finals. bly has more to do with me than I’ve had friends tell me that it does with the Rangers. When my unrelenting pessimism is a it comes to sports fandom, I’ve chore to deal with. Several of always found that my natu- my buddies who are also Red ral pessimism comes in handy Sox fans have compared watchwhen the playoffs roll around. ing a Boston playoff game with Maybe it stems from growing me to having a root canal, and up as a Red Sox fan. That was a honestly, I can’t blame them. team that, until 2004, was built But while I often look at upon decades of futility, near- this mindset as somewhat of a misses and disappointment. defense mechanism, when it That woe-is-me feeling was so comes to the Rangers this year, I pervasive that even after the Red think my assessment is spot-on. Sox won it all in 2004—and Sure, the Rangers won 46 then again in 2007 and 2013—I games this year, and finished still enter each season with the with 101 points—good enough belief that they will somehow for fourth in the Eastern Conferfind a way to dash my hopes. ence. But nothing, and I mean
nothing about this team gives me any confidence that they will be hoisting the Stanley Cup come June. The shot-blocking and defensive pressure that had characterized the Rangers in the John Tortorella era and carried over into the early Alain Vigneault years now seems to be a thing of the past, as New York’s stalwarts like Dan Girardi seem to be breaking down before our eyes, something that can probably be attributed to the wear and tear of several years’ worth of deep playoff pushes. Captain Ryan McDonagh, battling a hand injury, may not play early in the upcoming series against the Penguins, and netminder Henrik Lundqvist, who has been the catalyst of the Rangers’ success over the last decade or so, is starting to show his age and has looked downright human at times this year. That’s not even taking the
Sports Editor Mike Smith, second from right, takes in a Rangers-Penguins game at Madison Square Garden in 2014. On April 13, after press time, New York and Pittsburgh will square off again in the playoffs. Contributed Photo
Rangers first-round foes, the Penguins, into consideration. They’ll have the best skater on the ice in Sidney Crosby, and having won 14 of their last 16 games, they come into the playoffs as the hottest team in either conference. So why should I fool myself into thinking this Rang-
ers team has a chance? Even if they somehow get past the Penguins, the specter of the Capitals—probably the best team in the entire NHL—looms large in the second round. But that doesn’t mean I’ll stop rooting. When the Blue Shirts take the ice on April 13, after press time, I’ll throw on
my Jeff Beukeboom sweater, dust off my Rangers cap and scream at the television until I lose my voice. My pessimism worked for Villanova—who’s to say it won’t work again?
Follow Mike on Twitter @LiveMike_Sports
14 • The city review • April 15 & 22, 2016
SPORTS
Huguenots fall to Tigers LACROSSE
non-league
MAMARONECK 15 NEW ROCHELLE 1 NEW ROCHELLE HS
4/6/16
Game Notes: • Mamaroneck’s Brigid Knowles scored four goals and had an assist • New Rochelle goalie Emmy Yarmy made 16 saves on the afternoon • The Huguenots play the bulk of their league schedule in April By MIKE SMITH Sports Editor On Wednesday, April 6, the New Rochelle lacrosse team fell to a tough league foe in Mamaroneck, as the visiting Tigers hung a 15-1 loss on the Huguenots. But even in defeat, firstyear head coach John Ciccone said he sees signs of growth for the burgeoning lacrosse program. Brigid Knowles led the way for Mamaroneck last week, fin-
A Huguenot player tries to control the ball against Mamaroneck on April 6. Photos/Mike Smith
ishing with four goals and an assist, and New Rochelle’s lone goal was scored by Shannon Maguire, who found the net on an assist from Zoe Steffenson. According to Ciccone, who had been the assistant coach for the
Players from New Rochelle and Mamaroneck battle for the ball.
past 10 years, the loss did little to dampen the team’s spirits. “We’re trying to take our program to the next level,” Ciccone said. “We play in a tough league, but we have a great group of girls and they’ve stayed upbeat
New Rochelle players defend against Mamaroneck. The Tigers are one of many tough teams in the Huguenots’ league this year.
and they’re continuing to have fun.” One bright spot for the Huguenots on April 6 was the play of Lynchburg-bound senior goalie Emmy Yarmy, who made a whopping 16 saves on the afternoon. In Yarmy, Ciccone said the Huguenots have a talented netminder and leader on the defensive end. “She’s a four-year varsity player and she’s our anchor,” Ciccone said. “She gives our team confidence because they know she’s going to make that good initial save. Now it’s just up to the rest of the team to come up with rebounds.” As the Huguenots continue to play a tough league schedule in April, Ciccone added, controlling the ball will be extremely important. “The main thing is, when we have possession, we have to make the most of it and generate more shots,” said the head coach. “We’ve incorporated a whole new motion offense, new X’s and O’s, but we can’t implement those if we don’t have control of the ball.”
New Rochelle goalie Emmy Yarmy looks for an open teammate on April 6. Yarmy had 16 saves against Mamaroneck.
The Huguenots have a tough stretch of games over the next few weeks, as they will take on White Plains on April 13, after press time, and will have a return engagement against Mamaroneck on April 20. The grueling League II-C schedule might not offer a ton of wins for the Huguenots, said the coach, but it will allow New Rochelle to play against teams whose success the
Huguenots are hoping to emulate. “We’re putting the work in, all offseason,” Ciccone said. “We’ve done youth programs trying to build the youth programs up and we want to strive to get our program to the level of some of the other teams in our league.” Contact: sports@hometwn.com
SPORTS
April 15 & 22, 2016 • The city review • 15
Gonzalez improves to 2-0 By MIKE SMITH Sports Editor On Saturday, April 9, local fighter Natalie Gonzalez took another step toward boxing stardom with a one-sided unanimous decision win over Rachel Sazoff at Five Star Banquet Hall in Long Island City, New York. Although her pro career is just two fights old, the undefeated Gonzalez seems poised for big things in the women’s 105-pound division. Gonzalez (2-0) took control from the opening bell and battered Sazoff, who was making her pro debut, to cruise to her second straight win in the professional ranks. Although the New Rochelle native had little trouble with her opponent on Saturday night, Sazoff did provide something of a different look for Gonzalez, a two-time Golden Gloves Champion. “After eight years, this is the first southpaw I ever fought,” said Gonzalez after the fight. “It’s awkward, seeing punches at different angles, but it wasn’t too difficult; we’ve been
Natalie Gonzalez stalks her opponent in her second professional fight.
Natalie Gonzalez, left, connects with a left hand during her April 9 fight. Photos/Mike Smith
working on this for the last two months.” Ryan O’Leary, who trains Gonzalez at Champs Boxing Club in New Rochelle, said that although his charge was dominant on Saturday night, she is still adjusting to fighting in the
hand; I thought she was going to stop [Sazoff].” Sazoff came into Saturday’s bout without a boxing match on her resume, but had the experience of six mixed martial arts fights to call upon against Gonzalez.
professional ranks. “When you see a girl like [Natalie] in the ring for the second time as a pro, you’re not seeing her best yet,” O’Leary said. “But she did some good things, she moved her head, she jabbed, threw the right
Natalie Gonzalez, right, throws a punch against Rachel Sazoff. Although Gonzalez has been fighting for eight years, Sazoff is the first southpaw she has faced.
“This was her pro debut, but she competes in MMA, and she’s a rugged girl,” O’Leary said of Sazoff. “She had a good chin and she was tough.” Although Gonzalez’s career is still young—she turned pro on Jan. 29—O’Leary said that the future is bright. While most of the high-profile fighters in the 105-pound division are international stars, Gonzalez currently has her sights set on becoming the top American fighter in the weight class. “The big fights, they’re going to be in South America or in Asia,” O’Leary said. “But right now, there are maybe 10 Ameri-
can fighters, and we’d like to clean out the division before we move on to bigger fights.” For Gonzalez, though, the goal is simply to stay focused as she works her way up the rankings. Gonzalez expects to fight again sometime around June, but said that after enjoying her win for a day or two, she’ll be back in the gym this week. “[Going pro] hasn’t really changed anything,” she said. “I’m still working out Monday to Saturday, maybe I’m just working a little harder now.” Contact: sports@hometwn.com
New Rochelle’s Natalie Gonzalez has her hand raised after her April 9 fight in Queens, New York. Gonzalez has a 2-0 professional record.
16 • The city review • April 15 & 22, 2016